EasyStar
(Model No 63)

To make Winter flying a little easier, I decided to re-visit electric-powered flight

I learned from Internet model-flying forums that the Multiplex EasyStar has a massive and positive following, so I decided it would become my 'Winter Hack'

 I fitted it out with an "over-size" brushless in-runner motor (2700kv, 250Watt) turning a 6x4 prop. 3-cell 3,300mAh lithium batteries and "lithium battery saver." I also fitted a pair of ailerons operated by individual servos in order to "liven-up" the flight envelope a little

But it wasn't all 'plain-sailing,' because right from the very first flight the model 'liked to glitch'

I moved-around everything I could move-around inside the model (several times), and I shortened all the cables. But still the glitching continued

I put-up with this situation until one day when the model was on short finals and about to land on the tarmac runway. I  remembered right at the last moment that this model needs to land on grass, so I opened the throttle a little - whereupon the model glitched very severely and flicked into an inverted "landing" right on the hard stuff! Fortunately there was no damage (Epalor is much tougher than I thought it to be!)

Later I exchanged the receiver crystal, and later-still I exchanged the receiver itself - neither of which made any difference to the glitching

Next I removed all the radio gear and electronics from the model, and upon examining it I discovered that whilst enlarging the air passage inside the fuz I had 'almost' severed the rudder servo's signal cable! This was soon fixed and the gear re-installed - and the glitch was finally cured - but unfortunately the motor could now be heard 'stuttering' from time to time at high throttle settings

I decided to move the ESC from inside the fuz to a new position on top of it. I also wrapped the Rx with alloy cooking foil. But try as I may, I just couldn't cure the 'stuttering motor.' At this stage my good friend Marcel sent me a new ESC to try. Initial impressions were excellent, as the new controller allowed the motor to run at almost 35,000rpm, compared to 20,000rpm when using the original ESC - but will the new ESC cure the 'stutter?' . . . time will tell!

During flight No 44 the Starboard aileron servo stopped working, fortunately freezing in (almost) its neutral position. Re-trimming the remaining aileron saw the model flying straight and level again, but the single aileron produced understandably slow reactions - switching to high-rate speeded-up the roll rate. The US servo was disconnected from the Rx for the next couple of flights, and was subsequently exchanged for a new one by the supplier a couple of days later (thanks again Dave!)

After several "non-stuttering" flights I accepted that Marcel's ESC had cured the problem - until the motor refused to run after I'd been gliding the model around for a few minutes at height one day. The dead-stick landing was uneventful, but the reason for the motor's refusal to run was interesting: one of the motor cables had "broken" in-flight. A temporary repair was effected using an old electrical connector which I found at the bottom of my flightbox, and the model was flown again the same day - with no loss of performance nor any further problems: